Forget the sad stew known as Chilli con Carne sold in second rate pubs, full of thick-skinned kidney beans and plopped onto a bed of white rice. Real chili (and no, it isn't a misprint - chili the dish is spelled with one 'l', while chilli the pepper is spelled with two), is a thick, luscious mixture that has as rich a history as any British or French dish and has been the cause of many passionate arguments, if not outright punch-ups!

Chili comes from Texas and has its origins in the days of the great cattle drives across the wide open spaces of the Wild West. Legend has it that Pat Garrett said of his fellow outlaw Billy the Kid, 'any man who likes chili can't be all bad.'

There are as many different chilies as there are cooks who make it and every other version is looked upon with disdain, especially if it contains what some cooks (usually Texans) consider to be forbidden ingredients.

To bean or not to bean
It is generally accepted that chili should contain meat, oil, hot chilli peppers, onion, garlic, salt, cumin, oregano and sometimes tomatoes (though the original Texas trail chili most probably didn't use tomatoes.) But what causes the most controversy is the presence (or not) of beans. Arguments for and against have lead to more than a few bar room brawls, a riot in an Oklahoma prison, a duel in Louisiana and even a divorce between a couple from Little Rock, Arkansas in 1979. The wife claimed that she and her husband were incompatible because he used beans in his chili.

Pinto beans are the beans of choice, also called red Mexican beans and available dried. Black beans are also good for chili. Kidney beans are commonly used in many chili recipes but are a bit on the large side, have tough skins and contribute little to the overall flavour. Whatever beans you choose to use, soak them overnight, drain then cook them in water for about an hour or until softened. Never add salt to the water before they are done as it toughens the skins and prevents proper cooking.

Other variations and additions are more regional. In Texas, the meat (usually beef) is cut into cubes, whereas in the states of Oklahoma and New Mexico minced beef is always used. In some northern states like Massachusetts, the beef is shredded and Californians sometimes use sweet Italian sausage in their chili.

The addition of vegetables and spices is another sticking point. Of those cooks who do use tomatoes, some use only fresh while others use canned or pureed. Sweet green peppers crop up in some versions, also celery, olives, black pepper, paprika, parsley, Dijon mustard, even red wine or beer. But there is one ingredient on which all chili cooks agree - the chillies. Jalapenos are the most popular and are available in the UK, fresh in the green grocer aisles or pickled in jars in the Mexican section of supermarkets. Some other types are also becoming more widely available - serrano, poblano, catarina and ancho are some of the varieties used, usually in dried form. Some cooks dispense with whole chillies altogether and just use ground chilli powder.

There is one place where all these chilies and their respective cooks come together once a year - the tiny one-horse Texas town of Terlingua, home of the World Championship Chili Competition. Started in 1968, this venerated traditional gathering draws hundreds of would-be chili experts, as well as chili fans and tourists from all over the world. The event involves camping out (there are only two small motels in town) and make-shift kitchens, with gas-fired camping stoves where chefs create their chili masterpieces. The brews are tasted by a panel of judges and an ultimate winner declared. Beer and tequila are consumed by the gallon (drinking wine will get you thrown out, or at least guarantee some dirty looks), before everyone packs up and heads home, leaving Terlingua to recover and prepare for next year's onslaught.

So whatever your tastes, there's a chili out there for you. As yet, there's no law governing what should go into a good chili (except maybe in some towns in Texas), so get creative and come up with your own champion chili. Who knows, you may end up in Terlingua!

Chili is not a shy dish, nor is it instantaneous. A good chili needs time to brew and mature and is often better the next day. There's also no point in making a small amount; it will keep in the fridge for several days and freezes equally well. All recipes serve at least six hearty appetites.

Texas chili with country cornbread

This recipe makes a rich, luscious sauce, perfect over rice, jacket potatoes or for mopping up a slice of country cornbread.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 2 hours
Serves: 6

1kg stewing beef, cut into 2cm cubes
6 tbsp flour
salt and black pepper
2 tsp cayenne
3-4 tbsp corn oil
2 tbsp cumin seeds
2 onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
250ml beer
750ml beef stock (you can use a good quality cube or 2 cans of Campbell's beef consomme topped up with enough water to make 750ml)
2 tbsp tomato purée
5 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp honey
1 dried ancho chilli (about 10g)
1-2 tbsp sliced pickled jalepeno chillies (optional), available in jars in the Mexican section of supermarkets

For the cornbread
100ml corn oil
150g cornmeal or polenta
50g plain flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp baking powder
284ml (one tub) buttermilk
100ml milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 small can sweetcorn (about 150g) drained, or 150g frozen sweetcorn, thawed

To make the chili, place the flour, salt, pepper and cayenne in a shallow bowl and toss the beef cubes until coated. Pour enough hot water over the dried ancho chilli and leave to soften while you brown the beef. Heat the oil over a medium heat in a large, heavy saucepan or casserole and fry the beef in batches, taking care not to crowd them until well browned on all sides. Transfer the batches to a bowl. While the meat is browning, heat a small frying pan and dry fry the cumin seeds until they become aromatic and just beginning to colour. Crush in a pestle and mortar and set aside.

Add a little more oil and fry the onion until soft and beginning to colour, for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and fry another minute. Pour in the beer, bring to a boil and scrape any cooked bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the stock, tomato purée, oregano, honey and crushed cumin seeds. Remove the softened chilli from the water, cut off the stem and chop the flesh. Add it to the chili, seeds and all, along with the jalepeno, if using.

Bring the chili to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Alternatively, you can cook it in a slow oven at 150C for the same amount of time, or until the meat is tender.

To make the cornbread, preheat the oven to 230C. Pour 1 tablespoon of the oil into a 23-25cm / 9-10 inch cake or similar size roasting tin and place in the oven until piping hot.

Place the cornmeal or polenta in a bowl and sift in the flour, salt, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder. Add the buttermilk, milk, egg and rest of the oil and mix quickly until loosely combined. Fold in the sweet corn and pour into the hot tin. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden on top. Allow to cool in the tin and serve with the chili.

Gringo chili with Quesadillas

The term gringo applies to anyone who is not Mexican. In this case it simply means 'unauthentic Texan'. Still it's a good, all-round chili recipe with 101 uses. Well, almost.

Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus overnight soaking for the beans if using dried)
Cooking Time: 1 hour (plus 1 hour for cooking the beans if using dried)

500g minced beef
2 tbsp corn or vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp chilli powder
1 tbsp dried oregano
2 400g tins chopped tomatoes
400ml beef stock (you can use a good quality cube or 1 can of Campbell's beef consommé topped up to 400ml with water)
1-2 tbsp sliced pickled jalepeno chillies (optional), available in jars in the Mexican section of supermarkets
200g dried weight pinto or black beans, soaked overnight and cooked for one hour till soft (see explanation regarding beans above) or you can use a 400g can of borlotti or kidney beans

for the quesadillas:
6 x large tortilla wraps
200g mature Cheddar cheese
pickled sliced jalepeno chillies, optional

If using dried beans, begin the day before by soaking them overnight and boiling for an hour to soften.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or casserole and fry the onion till soft and beginning to colour, about 10 minutes. Add the beef mince and fry till the meat is well cooked and past the grey tage and any moisture has cooked off. Add the garlic, cumin and chilli powder and fry for about two minutes to cook out the spices, then add the oregano, tomatoes and beef stock or consomme. Bring to a boil and simmer, partially covered for 45 minutes until it has reduced slightly and the flavours blended. Add the beans and jalepenos, if using and cook another 15 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add salt if necessary (remembering stock cubes can be salty.)

Make the quesadillas, heat a large frying pan and dry fry the tortillas on one side till beginning to colour and warm. Sprinkle half of the tortilla with a little cheese and a few sliced jalepenos, if using and fold over the other half, making a half-moon shape. Fry on both sides till the cheese is melted. Keep warm and repeat with the other tortilla wraps. Cut each quesadilla in half making 12 rounded triangle shapes and serve with the chili.

Vegetarian chili with grilled polenta

Why should meat-eaters have all the fun? Get the kick of chili spices and rich sauce, just without the beef. The vegetables soak up the flavours and make a lighter but just as tasty alternative.

Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 1/2 hours (includes making and grilling the polenta)

2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large red onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp chilli powder, or less, depending on taste
2 tspn ground coriander
pinch of ground allspice
2 tbsp dried oregano
2 400g tins chopped tomatoes
400ml vegetable stock (best made with a dark vegetable concentrate)
1 tbsp tomato puree
2 celery stalks, chopped in 1cm chunks
2 courgettes, halved lengthways and cut in 1cm chunks
1 red pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
1 green pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
200g mushrooms, quartered
1 400g (240g drained weight) mixed beans, drained and rinsed
salt

For the grilled polenta:
425ml vegetable stock
100g polenta
75g grated Cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
oil

First make the polenta. Bring the stock to a boil in a medium saucepan and slowly stir in the polenta. Bring back to the boil, stir continuously until it becomes quite thick, about one minute. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper, stir in the cheese and chives.

Lay a sheet of cling film on a baking tray or small roasting tin and brush lightly with oil. Spread the polenta evenly over the cling film, about 1cm thick and set aside to cool.

For the chili, heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the onion over a medium heat until soft and just beginning to colour, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and fry another minute or so. Add the cumin, chilli powder, coriander, allspice and oregano and fry for one minute, then add the tomatoes, stock and puree. Bring to a boil, then simmer, uncovered for 20 minutes until slightly reduced.

Add all the vegetables, cover and cook another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender. Add the beans and cook another 5 minutes, taste for seasoning and add salt if necessary.

Turn the polenta over onto a cutting board, remove the cling film and cut into triangles, about 5-7cm each side. Heat a ridged grill pan or frying pan. Brush the polenta triangles with a little oil and fry until golden on both sides and completely heated through. Serve with the chili.

As always, this chili can be served on white or brown rice.

Some other things to do with chili:

Jacket Potato Chili Salad: Split open a baked potato and pile on the chili of your choice. Top with shredded lettuce (iceberg is best), some chopped tomatoes and grated Cheddar cheese.

Chili Stroganoff: Stir about 150ml soured cream or crème fraiche into the Texas chili and serve on buttered noodles.

Chili Burrito Wraps: Spoon some chili onto the base of a tortilla wrap, sprinkle with some grated cheese - cheddar is best - and roll up in a sheet of cling film or foil. Great cold in a packed lunch. Also works with pitta bread.

Chili Egg Tortilla: Grill a tortilla wrap till warm and lightly golden, spoon over some hot chili and top with a fried egg. You can substitute the tortilla for plain toast.

Veggie Chili Dip: Blend some of the vegetarian chili in a food processor and use as a dip for raw vegetables or tortilla chips.

Chili Tacos: Use in place of mince in a taco shell and dress with shredded lettuce and tomato and avocado salsa.